Latest news with #SoO
The Print
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
MHA resumes talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups after 2 yrs to discuss ‘way forward', renewal of SoO pact
According to government sources, the discussion revolved around opening of highways to ensure that free movement of people across the state without any obstruction, and the Kuki-Zo groups demanding a 'revision in the ground rules' of the SoO agreement. The talks were held with five members of Kuki Zo SoO groups, MHA's Northeast adviser A.K. Mishra and Intelligence Bureau officials Monday. New Delhi: After a gap of almost 2 years, the Ministry of Home Affairs resumed talks with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in Manipur to discuss a 'way ahead' for a 'political solution' for the state and a broad outline for the suspension of operations (SoO) pact that remains in limbo. The surrender of weapons that were looted post 3 May, 2023, was also discussed in detail, the source said. National Highways-2 and 37, that connect the Imphal valley to Nagaland and Assam respectively, are critical for supply of essentials and other commodities. They pass through Kuki-Zo inhabited areas and have seen blockades and protests in the last 3 years, hindering supply of essentials. 'We are glad that the resumption of dialogue happened after so long. We discussed how to find a way forward. It is a good start, we covered many points in the discussion including revision of the ground rules of the SoO pact,' a leader who attended the meeting told ThePrint. 'The new ground rules which require rewording of many phrases has to be done. The second meeting will be held soon, hopefully within a week.' Before the violence erupted in the state, the key demand of the SoO groups was to have autonomous territorial councils within Manipur, which later changed to a separate administration for Kuki-Zo areas, defining it as a Union territory with a legislature. The SoO camps had become the focal point of the ongoing conflict in the state as former CM N. Biren Singh, time and again, accused these cadres of 'contributing to the escalation of violence'. The camps were established as part of a pact signed on 22 August, 2008, between the Kuki militant groups and the central and Manipur governments, in light of the Kuki-Naga clashes in the 1990s. According to the SoO agreement, members of these groups were required to suspend their operation as insurgents and stay within designated camps with their weapons securely stored in safe zones under a double-locking system. The agreement has been periodically extended each year, except on 29 February last year when the Manipur government pulled out from the tripartite pact. There is now a demand to relocate the SoO camps away from areas near the valley districts—which has a concentration of Meitei population—and to reduce the number of camps from 14 to 7. 'The discussion on the renewal of the camps has not yet happened. It is an ongoing process,' a government source said. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: Manipur on edge after arrest of radical Meitei leader—ex-cop wanted for abduction of senior officer
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
MHA officials meet Kuki-Zo insurgent group members
The ministry of home affairs (MHA) officials on Monday held a meeting with representatives of the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, which are currently under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact with the Centre, over the renewal of the SoO agreement. While the government is yet to comment on the details of the meeting, people aware of the matter, said MHA officials insisted on ensuring there is no hindrance from SoO groups on the free movement of people across the state and relocation of the camps from certain civilian areas, while the SoO groups insisted on new ground rules before the Centre renews the cessation of hostilities pact. Senior security force officers in Manipur maintained that the SoO groups wield influence over almost everything in the hill areas, where the Kuki-Zo people live, including their elected representatives. The meeting on Monday was significant because it was the first meeting held between government and SoO groups since the pact was put in abeyance last year. The MHA and the SoO group representatives have agreed to finalise a date within the next one week for the second meeting. 'There were five representatives from the two umbrella organisations KNO and UPF that are under SoO. The MHA side was represented by Northeast interlocutor AK Mishra and IB officials, including state's IB chief, a joint director rank officer. The ground rules need to be revisited and put on paper because a lot has changed since the SoO pact was signed in 2008. Before SoO is renewed, these rules must be formalised and put on paper. Both parties have to agree for its renewal. The second meeting will be held soon,' a person aware of the meeting said. The SoO agreement was signed by the Centre and the Manipur government with the insurgent groups in August 2008 and was being renewed every year until February 28, 2024 when the renewal process was kept in abeyance. The SoO was kept in abeyance by the Centre following allegations of SoO group cadres indulging in Manipur's ethnic clashes or providing training to the village defence volunteers, a charge that groups have denied vehemently. While former chief minister Biren Singh and other MLAs have demanded that the SoO pact be cancelled, Kuki-Zo groups and their legislators have requested Centre to renew the pact. There are around 1,500-2,000 insurgents from the SoO in different camps across the state. Their weapons are kept locked in a room within each camp under a double lock system - one key with them and the other with the government. Under the SoO Pact, the insurgent groups have agreed to stop any form of violence including attacks on security forces. The Centre and the state too signed that no force (army, paramilitary, state police) would launch operations against the signatories as long as they abide by the terms of the agreement. Meitei groups have accused SoO of being involved in the ethnic clashes, a charge that the representatives of the SoO groups deny.
The Hindu
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Centre meets Kuki-Zo groups, discusses opening of highways, surrender of weapons
Union Home Ministry (MHA) officials on Monday (June 9, 2025) discussed changes in the ground rules of the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement, the opening of national highways and surrender of weapons at a meeting with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, which was held after two years. At the meeting, the insurgent groups, in peace talks with the government since 2008, were conveyed about ground rules violations and were also asked to shut down or relocate camps close to the Meitei-inhabited areas. The ground rules of the SoO agreement are being reviewed by the MHA, and the next rounds of talks are expected next week to finalise the details for its implementation. A senior government official told The Hindu that the preliminary meeting discussed a road map for restoring normalcy in the northeastern State and finding a long-term solution. The official added that the opening of national highways for free movement of vehicles from Meitei areas and vice versa was emphasised upon. National Highways-2 and 37, which connect the land-locked Imphal valley to Nagaland and Assam respectively, critical for supply of essentials and other commodities, pass through Kuki-Zo inhabited areas. The talks, that were affected due to the May 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, were held in Delhi after a gap of two years. The insurgent groups reiterated their demand for a union territory with legislature for the Kuki-Zo people. A SoO representative said, 'The grounds for discussion should be spelt out clearly. An agreement for a political settlement should be part of the SoO extension. Most ground rules are likely to remain the same as 2008, but regarding relocation of camps, we will have to discuss with our constituents.' Also Read: The paradox of the approach to the Manipur issue Five members of the Kuki-Zo SoO groups held talks with A.K. Mishra, Adviser (Northeast), MHA and Intelligence Bureau officials on Monday (June 9, 2025). Looting of weapons 'A large number of police weapons were looted since the violence began. The groups were told to surrender weapons to bring long-lasting peace,' the official said. The agreement, in place since 2008, has been periodically extended each year except on February 29, 2024, when the Manipur Government pulled out from the tripartite pact; the MHA and SoO groups being the other two signatories. The representative added, 'The meeting focused on the way forward, it concluded on a positive note. Some of the camps that were set up in 2008 were inappropriately located; they have water scarcity and are in want of serious repair. The cadres have not been paid stipend for the past two years.' The representative added that the State government withdrew from the SoO pact after alleging ground rules violation. 'The ground rules are violated if our cadres attack the security forces. Post-May 3, 2023, the State police commandos at the behest of the State government were attacking our camps with mortars.' Around 2,200 cadres of the SoO groups comprising United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) – umbrella organisations of 25 insurgent groups, live in 14 designated camps in the hill districts of Manipur. The cadres are entitled to a stipend of ₹6,000 per month which has not been paid since the violence erupted. The SoO agreement was signed in the wake of Kuki-Naga clashes in the 1990s when hundreds were killed. The insurgent groups demanded an independent land for the Kuki-Zo people. Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh had claimed that SoO groups violated ground rules and instigated ethnic violence. The violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people, which erupted in the State on May 3, 2023, has claimed the lives of 250 people, displacing more than 60,000 people from their homes.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ex-chief minister N Biren Singh leaves for Delhi amid escalating Manipur tensions
Former chief minister N Biren Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha lawmaker Leishemba Sanajaoba left for New Delhi on Monday to brief central leaders on the escalating tensions in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur. An influential Meitei outfit member's arrest over the weekend triggered the fresh violence that left at least 11 people injured and prompted authorities to reimpose restrictions, and governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to conduct a security review. Singh, who resigned as the chief minister in February after the Supreme Court directed a central forensics lab to examine leaked audio tapes allegedly featuring him purportedly saying the ethnic violence was instigated at his behest, declined to comment when asked whether Union home minister Amit Shah had summoned them. Singh said they were headed to New Delhi to apprise the central leadership of the worsening situation, four months after the president's rule was imposed in Manipur in February following Singh's resignation. 'I appeal to the public, this is a very crucial stage. People should act cautiously and in unity, avoiding violence. Unity is our strength, and every step taken should move us toward peace.' Protesters on Sunday defied prohibitory orders and blocked major roads in parts of the state capital, Imphal, by burning debris and tyres, a day after clashes rocked the city. A police post was torched, forcing police to use tear gas shells. A road was blocked to stop Border Security Force personnel from entering the city. The arrest of Kanan Singh, a member of the Meitei body Arambai Tenggol, and the detention of four of his associates triggered the latest wave of violence. On Sunday, the Central Bureau of Investigation said that it had arrested Singh over his involvement in the violence in the state. On Saturday, hundreds of protesters resorted to arson and threw stones at security forces as the news of Singh's arrest broke. The Arambai Tenggol demanded Singh's immediate release and announced a 10-day shutdown. Singh was dismissed from the police force this year over his alleged involvement in smuggling weapons and looting armouries. The authorities suspended broadband and mobile data services in Imphal East and West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur, saying some 'anti-social elements might use social media' to incite the public. A curfew was reimposed in Bishnupur for the first time this year. The movement of people in the valley districts was restricted due to apprehension of a breach of peace. The fresh unrest comes against the backdrop of a meeting between Union home ministry officials and representatives of Kuki-Zo militant groups who signed a Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact in 2008. It will be the first meeting between the two sides since the peace pact was put in abeyance last year. The Union and the Manipur governments signed the pact with the militant groups. I was renewed annually until 2024, when the renewal was kept in abeyance following allegations that members of the groups were involved in the ethnic violence. The protracted violence between Meiteis and Kukis was triggered in May 2023 and has left around 250 people dead and thousands displaced. Meiteis live largely in the plains of the Imphal valley, and the Kukis in the hills. They have withdrawn to their respective strongholds. The groups have since 2023 set up road blockades to restrict each other's and the movement of essential items between their strongholds.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Manipur tense after CBI arrest of Meitei group member; curfew reimposed
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur on Sunday following the arrest of a senior member of the Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol, prompting authorities to reimpose curfews and suspend internet services across several districts to prevent further unrest. According to Hindustan Times, the tensions began after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kanan Singh, a former Manipur Police head constable, for his alleged role in last year's ethnic violence. The CBI confirmed that Singh was transferred to Guwahati and will be produced in court for remand. Four of his associates were also detained. The arrests triggered immediate backlash. Angry protesters set vehicles ablaze, blocked roads with burning debris, and clashed with security forces in multiple locations. In defiance of prohibitory orders, demonstrators torched a police post in Yairipok, burned tyres, and dug up roads to hinder security movement. Security forces responded with tear gas shells, leaving at least 11 people injured, news agency PTI reported. A bus belonging to central forces was also set on fire in Imphal East district. The Meitei outfit named Arambai Tenggol, to which Singh is linked, demanded the immediate release of all detained members and announced a 10-day state-wide shutdown. The group has previously faced allegations of inciting violence, including the abduction of a senior police officer last year—although Singh was later released unharmed. Why were curbs reimposed in Manipur? To curb further escalation, authorities suspended broadband and mobile data services in Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal, and Bishnupur districts. Citing security concerns, officials said the step was necessary as 'anti-social elements might use social media' to fuel tensions. A curfew was reimposed in Bishnupur for the first time in 2025, while movement was restricted in other valley districts. In response to the developments, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla convened emergency meetings with top security officials and a delegation of 25 MLAs, including Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, to review the situation. BJP MLA L Ibomcha said the Governor acknowledged the group's role in flood relief and assured that the administration was not targeting Arambai Tenggol. Have arrests deepened Manipur's unrest? Meanwhile, Congress MLA Okram Surjakumar criticised the arrests, saying they had 'fuelled unrest' and demanded greater transparency from authorities. 'If authorities plan to arrest someone, then there must be a public clarification. We must remain united and focus on restoring peace in the state,' he told Hindustan Times. The renewed unrest comes ahead of a scheduled meeting in Delhi between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kuki-Zo militant groups under the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement. The pact has been on hold since last year following allegations of Kuki militant involvement in the ethnic violence. A Kuki representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed hope for 'fruitful discussions' regarding a renewal of the agreement. What's prolonging Manipur's crisis? Manipur has been grappling with recurring violence since May 2023, when ethnic clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zomi communities over tribal status demands. More than 250 lives have been lost and thousands displaced. Communities remain divided into strongholds, with road blockades and parallel administration zones becoming the norm. The state has been under President's rule since February 2025, after former Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned amid criticism over his inability to control the violence. The ongoing crisis continues to draw national attention, with opposition parties questioning the Centre's response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, notably, has yet to visit the state since the conflict began.
